The Piatchek Law Firm, LLC

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At the Piatchek Law Firm, LLC, we believe that people deserve high-quality legal representation that is effective, efficient, and affordable. We offer reasonable, flat rates for many services, and we have created and fostered a culture at our firm of excellent customer service, affordability, and transparency – no surprises, no games, and no hidden costs.

Signing a Revocable Living Trust is an important step. It is not the last one.A Trust generally controls only the assets...
10/19/2026

Signing a Revocable Living Trust is an important step. It is not the last one.

A Trust generally controls only the assets that have been transferred into it. A home still titled in your individual name, or a bank account never retitled, may still have to go through probate.

We can often prepare and record the deeds that place your real estate into your Trust. Other steps — such as updating bank accounts and vehicle titles — are usually completed by you, and we can walk you through what remains.

📞 The Piatchek Law Firm · 417-409-2420

https://ozarkslawfirm.com/funding-your-living-trust-a-step-by-step-guide/

Life insurance, retirement accounts, and accounts with a payable-on-death designation generally pass directly to the nam...
10/16/2026

Life insurance, retirement accounts, and accounts with a payable-on-death designation generally pass directly to the named beneficiary — regardless of what your Will says.

That means an old form naming a former spouse, or a parent who has since passed away, can control where that money goes. It is worth checking every time you review your plan.

Updating a beneficiary form is usually a matter of contacting the insurer or account custodian and completing their form. The harder question is who should be named, and whether a Trust should be the beneficiary instead. We can help you think that through.

📞 The Piatchek Law Firm · 417-409-2420

https://ozarkslawfirm.com/trust-vs-simple-beneficiary-designations-which-is-best-for-your-estate/

Many people assume that if they become unable to manage their own affairs, a spouse or adult child can step in and sign ...
10/14/2026

Many people assume that if they become unable to manage their own affairs, a spouse or adult child can step in and sign for them. Generally, that is not the case.

Being married does not usually give your spouse authority over accounts or property in your name alone. Without a Durable Power of Attorney — a document, not a person, that names someone to act for you — your family may need to ask a Court to appoint a guardian or conservator.

A Power of Attorney is one of the more straightforward documents in an estate plan, and it can spare your family that process.

📞 The Piatchek Law Firm · 417-409-2420

https://ozarkslawfirm.com/durable-power-of-attorney/

A misconception worth correcting: "I have a Will, so my family will not have to go through probate."A Will does not avoi...
10/12/2026

A misconception worth correcting: "I have a Will, so my family will not have to go through probate."

A Will does not avoid probate. In most cases it is the opposite — the probate Court is where a Will is put to use. Assets titled in your name alone, with no beneficiary designation, generally pass through probate whether or not you have a Will.

Avoiding probate usually depends on how your assets are titled and designated during your lifetime, which is often where a Trust comes in. We can review what you have and give you an opinion on the best structure.

📞 The Piatchek Law Firm · 417-409-2420

https://ozarkslawfirm.com/is-it-always-necessary-to-probate-a-will/

If you die without a Will, Missouri does not leave the question open. A state statute decides who inherits, and the resu...
10/09/2026

If you die without a Will, Missouri does not leave the question open. A state statute decides who inherits, and the result may not match what you would have chosen.

For example, a surviving spouse does not always receive everything. When there are children, the estate is generally divided between the spouse and the children under a formula set by law. Stepchildren usually do not inherit unless they were legally adopted. And without a Will, you have not nominated a guardian for your minor children.

A Will lets you make those decisions yourself. We can review your family situation and give you an opinion on what your plan should cover.

📞 The Piatchek Law Firm · 417-409-2420

https://ozarkslawfirm.com/understanding-the-consequences-of-not-having-a-will/

🚫 MYTH: "Estate planning is for people with a lot of money."✅ FACT: Estate planning is less about how much you own and m...
10/07/2026

🚫 MYTH: "Estate planning is for people with a lot of money."

✅ FACT: Estate planning is less about how much you own and more about who makes decisions — and who receives what — when you cannot. Anyone with a home, a bank account, minor children, or a preference about their medical care has something to plan for.

Without a plan, Missouri law and, in many cases, the probate Court generally fill in the answers for you.

📞 Questions about where to start? The Piatchek Law Firm · 417-409-2420

https://ozarkslawfirm.com/importance-of-estate-planning/

You do not need to have every decision made before you meet with an estate planning attorney. It does help to arrive wit...
10/05/2026

You do not need to have every decision made before you meet with an estate planning attorney. It does help to arrive with a general picture.

A few things are worth gathering:
✔️ A rough list of what you own — real estate, bank and retirement accounts, life insurance, vehicles, business interests.
✔️ Copies of any existing Will, Trust, or Power of Attorney.
✔️ The names of the people you are considering for key roles, such as Trustee or guardian for minor children.
✔️ Any concerns about a particular family member or situation.

From there, we can review your circumstances and give you an opinion on what a plan should include.

📞 The Piatchek Law Firm · 417-409-2420

https://ozarkslawfirm.com/estate-planning-attorney/

The hours right after a car accident are the ones that shape everything that follows — and they are the hours you are le...
10/02/2026

The hours right after a car accident are the ones that shape everything that follows — and they are the hours you are least equipped to think clearly.

A few things generally help:
✔️ Get medical attention, even if you feel fine. Some injuries surface days later.
✔️ Photograph the vehicles, the scene, and any visible injuries.
✔️ Get the other driver's insurance information and the police report number.
✔️ Write down what happened while it is fresh.

Then talk to an attorney before you talk to the other driver's insurer. We can review what you have and give you an opinion on where the claim stands.

📞 The Piatchek Law Firm · 417-409-2420

https://ozarkslawfirm.com/auto-accident-injuries/

A few days after an accident, the other driver's insurance company will usually call and ask for a recorded statement. I...
09/30/2026

A few days after an accident, the other driver's insurance company will usually call and ask for a recorded statement. It will sound routine. It is not.

That adjuster works for the insurer, not for you, and the recording can be used later to argue that your injuries were minor, that you were partly at fault, or that you said something inconsistent. In many cases you are not required to give one at all.

You are allowed to say you would like to speak with an attorney first. That sentence costs you nothing.

📞 Call us before you give a statement — 417-409-2420.

https://ozarkslawfirm.com/personal-injury-lawyer/

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1546 E. Bradford Parkway
Springfield, MO
65804

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Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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